Sailboat



Dec. 14, 1965 A. B. WILSN, JR 3,223,065

SAILBOAT Filed May 4,' 1964 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR l. @ZW/2, J5;

@M M M12/wm ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1965 A. B. WILSON, JR 3,223,065

SAILBOAT Filed May 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WZfaZ,

@M @,MJUJZ BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,223,065 SAILBOAT AubreyBennett Wilson, Jr., RF1). 1, Gordonsville, Va. Filed May 4, 1964, Ser.No. 364,653 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-39) The present invention relates tosailing craft, and particularly, to sailing craft of the general typeknown as the proa, designed to move at the greatest possible speed for agiven sail area and a given wind velocity.

The proa, as described in an article appearing in the magazine, PopularBoating, issue of October 1962, beginning at page 46, has been known andused in certain areas for a great many years past but not Widely used bysailing enthusiasts despite its speed, because of its complexity andneed for special handling.

The present invention comprises a sailing craft which in all of itsmajor features resembles the proa, as the proa has heretofore been knownand used, but, by reason of changes which result in simplification ofconstruction, it is rendered, without undue sacrice in speed, muchsimpler to operate and much less costly to originally design andconstruct. In fact, a sailing craft of the type contemplated by thepresent invention can be built at extremely low cost, utilizing knownand immediately available materials and, when placed in operation, maybe controlled with ease and convenience by a single operator.

One form of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings byway of example and will be described in detail. As will be apparent, theinvention may be embodied in sailing craft which differ in certainrespects from that illustrated and now to be described in particularity.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the improved sailing craft;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation ofthe same;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view or a view looking down upon the sailing craftfrom above;

FIGURE 4 is a diagram showing the sailing craft in three positions whichit successively occupies when changing direction while moving upwind.

A characteristic of the proa is that it is designed and constructed insuch manner as to have two bow or cutwater ends, being intended to movein either direction with equal facility and its hull, indicated byreference numeral in the drawings, is designed in this manner. In fact,the hull 10 may be a standard canoe primarily intended to be moved bypaddles, such canoes being in common usage throughout the world. To thecanoe, or hull portion 10, is secured an Outrigger structure which isgenerally indicated by the numeral 11 and which is secured to the canoemidway of its ends. It extends laterally from the hull for a substantialdistance, a float 12 being suitably secured to its outer end. TheOutrigger structure may, as shown, comprise two elongated members 13 and14, one end of each of which rests upon and is permanently or detachablysecured to the upper rails of the canoe or hull 1t), together with aseries of cross members or boards 15 disposed parallel to each other andto the longitudinal axis of the hull 10, the boards being secured attheir ends to members 13 and 14, respectively. The float, as may beclearly seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, is aixed to the underside ofthe outrigger structure at its outer end and is likewise elongated andprovided withtwo pointed ends or cutwater structures, the longitudinalaxis of the float being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axisof the hull 10. The operator of the craft may position himself upon theplatform intermediate the hull 10 and the float 12, the sail lCC controlmeans and the steering means, to be later described, being convenientlywithin his reach.

A mast 18 of substantial height has its base rigidly atlixed to theOutrigger structure at a point equidistantly disposed from the ends ofthe hull but laterally of the center line thereof, this mast being ofsubstantial height in relation to the size of the hull 10. It issustained in position by three guys wires indicated at 20, 21, and 22,respectively, guy wires 20 and 21 extending from the top of the mast toopposite ends of the hull and guy wire 22 extending from the mast top tothe outer end of the outrigger structure.

The sail 24 is isosceles in outline and, when in operative position, itsupper end or peak is approximately at the top of the mast and its loweredge, which is horizontal, extends longitudinally of the hull, a rigidmember or boom 25 being secured to the lower horizontal edge of the sailand thus maintaining its generally triangular shape when in use. Theboom extends in a longitudinal direction, and with the sail to which itis secured, is suspended from the top of the mast by the means which isselected to uphold the sail, this means preferably comprising a blockand halyard by means of which the sail may be raised and lowered asdesired. As this supported, the boom 25 may be adjusted longitudinallyof the hull moving, with the sail, along an arcuate path centered at themast top, and it may be caused to assume various angular relationshipswith respect to the longitudinal axis of the hull by moving its endstransversely of the hull. The boom adjusting means may convenientlycomprise two lines or cables, or the like, indicated at 27 and 28,respectively, one end of each line or cable being attached to an end ofthe boom and the other being either conveniently secured by suitablemeans to the Outrigger structure, or held by the operator, the rope 27passing through a loop 29 which forms part of the guy wire 20, and therope 28 passing through a similar loop 30 which forms part of the guywire 21. It is obvious that one who occupies a position upon theplatform portion of the outrigger may, by simultaneously tensioning onerope while releasing the other, move the boom 25 angularly about themast 18 and also longitudinally of the craft and, in the normaloperation of the sailing craft, its course is controlled in this mannerwith the aid of rudder devices now to be described.

Mounted in suitable bearing means, rigidly affixed to the Outriggerstructure, are two rotatable rudder posts 32 and 33 each having at itslower end a rudder, these rudders being indicated at 34 and 35,respectively. Fixed to the top of each rudder post is an arm, these armsbeing indicated at 36 and 37, respectively, these arms extending inopposite directions as shown most clearly in FIGURE 3, being equal inlength and their outer ends being connected by a link 38. The link 38 isat all times under the close control of the occupant on the platform ofthe Outrigger and movement of the link in one direction will causesimultaneous movement of the rudders 34 and 35 in opposite directions.Maneuvering of the craft when under sail is realized by adjusting theangle and longitudinal position of the sail in coordination withmovements of the rudders. The rudder blades 34 and 35 likewise comprisemeans to resist sidewise movement of the hull under the pressure of thewind.

In its operation, the sailing craft or modied proa can be maneuvered insuch manner as to sail directly downwind, or across the wind, or to moveupwind by tacking. In moving upwind, the procedure differs from thatwhich is practiced by the conventional sailing craft having a bow and astern, the proa being reversed in direction, that end thereof which hasbeen trailing becoming the leading end after the tacking operation hasbeen completed. In

FIGURE 4 of the drawings the craft is shown diagrammatically in threepositions through which it passes in tacking, moving from position A toposition B to position C rapidly merely upon adjustment of the sail andrudder by the operator. In this figure the direction of the wind isindicated by the arrow W and the sailing craft in position A having itssail adjusted in such' manner that its direction of movement is alongthe line D. To effect the tacking operation, the operator releases theleading end of the boom 25 which immediately causes the sail to assumethe position in which it is illustrated in the diagrammatic view B, thecraft losing headway. By further adjusting the sail to the position inwhich it is shown in diagrammatic Figure C, drawing in the leading endof the boom` and likewise adjusting the trailing end, the craft has beenplaced in position to move in a direction indicated by the arrow E,which is substantially at right angles to the course which it was rstfollowing and is indicated by the arrow D.

During this tacking operation, the wind has continued to move in thedirection indicated by the letter W and the Operator has manipulated therudder structure to assist in the maneuver. At all times during theoperation of the boat, the sail is kept to leeward of the mast, evenwhen going before the wind, and all maneuvering is accomplished byadjusting the sail in the manner described.

The means for securing the Outrigger stru-cture to the hull may varywidely. It may be a permanent connecting means or the connection may bemade by means of clamps or ropes or wires so that the Outriggerstructure may be removed from the hull and the hull used in its normalmanner. The sail is much larger in arca than any sail which can becarried by a hull of comparable size and, for a given wind pressure, thesailing craft is much speedier than conventional sailing craft of thebow and stern type, particularly when the operator moves to a positionon the platforms which permits the float to rise from the water so thatthe only water resistance results from the friction of the water againstthe wetted surface of the hull 10.

Obviously for the means described equivalent means may be substituted.The rudder structure illustrated is of the simplest nature; andfunctions not only as a rudder, but as a weatherboard preventingsideways movement of the craft under wind pressure. In lieu of the linkswhich are interposed between the ends of the guy wires and 21, pulleysmay be employed, and throughout the craft other changes may be madewithout departure from the intent of the invention. The Outriggerstructure may be designed and constructed purely as an attachment forstandard types of Canoes, the mast being a part thereof, likewise therudder structure, the sail with its boom, and the float'. The Outriggerstructure for a standard canoe of approximately 17 feet long may includea float 8 or 9 feet long the axis of which i-s approximately 7 feet fromthe axis of the hull 10. The entire Outrigger structure may be of lightbut strong material, for instance aluminum, readily movable from placeto place without difficulty, and the mast may be demountable forpromoting convenience in movement.

While the hull illustrated and described is symmetrical about a straightline connecting the bows Or cutwaters and an Outrigger structure isaffixed thereto, the invention contemplates hulls of different types andshapes which are in the nature of combination hulls and Outriggerstructures, such hulls being non-symmetrical about a straight lineconnecting the bows. By this means the Operator may position himselflaterally of the mast on the up-wind side, so as to be able to controlthe triangular sail while seated on or in the lhull and the use of anattached platform and float avoided.

I claim:

1. A sailing craft comprising an elongated hull each end of which isadapted to serve as a bow or cutwater,

a float, and an Outrigger structure, said hull, float and Outriggerstructure constituting a rigid assembly with the axes of hull and floatdisposed in spaced parallel relation and the Outrigger structureconnecting the same and constituting a support for an operator,

a mast supported on said assembly approximately midway of the length ofthe hull,

a triangular sail disposed upon that side of the mast remote from theoat with its uppermost corner attached to the mast and its lower edgespaced above the hull and extending longitudinally thereof in bothdirections from the mast,

a boom secured only to and supported solely by the sail at its loweredge so as to be freely movable relatively to the hull,

and means accessible to an Operator located on said Outrigger structurefor determining the position of the boom to vary as desired therelationship of the sail to the hull, whereby even though the directionof the wind may remain substantially constant, the operator may causeeither end of the hull, as desired, to serve as a bow or cutwater.

2. A sailing craft comprising an elongated hull each end of which isadapted to serve as a bow or cutwater,

a float, and an Outrigger structure, said hull, float and Outriggerstructure constituting a rigid assembly with the axes of hull and floatdisposed in spaced parallel relation with the Outrigger structureconnecting the same and constituting a support for an operator,

a mast supported on said assembly approximately mid- Way of the lengthof the hull,

a triangular sail disposed upon that side of the mast remote from thefloat with its uppermost corner attached to the mast and its lower edgespaced above the hull and extending longitudinally thereof in bothdirections from the mast,

a boom secured only to and supported solely by the sail at its loweredge so as tO be freely movable relatively to the hull,

and means accessible to an operator located on said Outrigger structurefor moving the boom angularly relatively to the axis of the hull tobring the sail into desired relationship with the hull whereby, eventhough the direction of the wind may remain substantially constant, theOperator may cause either end of the hull, as desired, to serve as a bowor cutwater.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said means includes acontrol line attached to one end of said boom and extending from saidpoint of attachment, through one of said guide members to said Outriggerstructure, and a second control line attached to the opposite end ofsaid boom and extending through the second guide member to saidOutrigger structure, whereby an operator positioned on said Outriggerstructure may adjust the sail relatively to the hull, for the purposeset forth.

4. A sailing craft comprising an elongated hull each end of which isadapted to serve as a bow or cutwater,

a float, and an Outrigger structure constituting a rigid assembly withthe axes of hull and float disposed in spaced parallel relation and theOutrigger structure connecting the same and constituting a support foran Operator,

a mast supported on said assembly approximately midway of the length ofthe hull,

a. triangular sail disposed upon that side of the mast remote from thefloat with its uppermost corner attached to the mast and its lower edgespaced above the hull and extending longitudinally thereof in bothdirections from the mast,

a boom secured only to and supported solely by the sail at its loweredge so as to be freely movable relatively to the hull,

and means accessible to an operator located on said Outrigger structurefor moving said boom angularly relatively to the axis of the hull, andalso longitudinally of the hull, to adjust the sail relatively to thehull, for the purpose set forth.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED OTHER REFERENCES The SailingBoat, by Henry Coleman Folkard, 4th ed., London, Longmans, Green andCo., 1870, pages 242-250, and plate opposite page 242.

STATES PATENTS The Complete Boating Encyclopedia, Editor, Morris Winans114-63 Weeks, Jr., 1964, page 426.

Herreshof 114-61 Ziony 114-61 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. McIntyre114-39 Simpson 114 39 10 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

Berge 114-39 RICHARD G. BESHA, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SAILING CRAFT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HULL EACH END OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO SERVE AS A BOW OR CUTWATER, A FLOAT, AND AN OUTRIGGER STRUCTURE, SAID HULL, FLOAT AND OUTRIGGER STRUCTURE CONSTITUTING A RIGID ASSEMBLY WITH THE AXES OF HULL AND FLOAT DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION AND THE OUTRIGGER STRCTURE CONNECTING THE SAME AND CONSTITUTING A SUPPORT FOR AN OPERATOR, A MAST SUPPORTED ON SAID ASSEMBLY APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY OF THE LENGTH OF THE HULL, A TRIANGULAR SAIL DISPOSED UPON THAT SIDE OF THE MAST REMOTE FROM THE FLOAT WITH ITS UPPERMOST CORNER ATTACHED TO THE MAST AND ITS LOWER EDGE SPACED ABOVE THE HULL AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF IN BOTH DIRECTION FROM THE MAST, A BOOM SECURED ONLY TO AND SUPPORTED SOLELY BY THE SAIL AT ITS LOWER EDGE SO AS TO BE FREELY MOVABLE RELATIVELY TO THE HULL, AND MEANS ACCESSIBLE TO AN OPERATOR LOCATED ON SAID OUTRIGGER STRUCTURE FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF THE BOOM TO VARY AS DESIRED THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SAID TO THE HULL, WHEREBY EVEN THOUGH THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND MAY REMAIN SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT, THE OPERATOR MAY CAUSE EITHER END OF THE HULL, AS DESIRED, TO SERVE AS A BOW OR CUTWATER. 